Loughborough beaten by Harborough in season opener

IT MIGHT only be the first week of the season but Loughborough Town find themselves in the unusual position of being bottom of the Everards Premier Division after an opening weekend horror show against Market Harborough.

IT MIGHT only be the first week of the season but Loughborough Town find themselves in the unusual position of being bottom of the Everards Premier Division after an opening weekend horror show against Market Harborough.

Dips Patel’s men started off as they finished last season and did not get going in their first match as they attempt to win back the Premier Division crown, eventually falling to an eight wicket defeat while picking up just two points.

In fact if it wasn’t for the captain’s resilience the defeat would have been even more emphatic.

Openers James Bull (6) and Anish Patel (1) both fell early while Mitchell Buck (0), Harvinder Singh (3), and Jamie Baldwin only hung around for a combined 19 deliveries as Loughborough slumped to 39 for 5.

Someone needed to stick around with Patel which Kyle Saddington did for a while, taking the score on to 81 before the debutant fell for 20.

Neal Gamble hit a patient 11 not out while Patel continued on his way to a well crafted 65 from 101 balls hitting seven fours before he was eighth out with the score on 122.

Just nine more runs were added before Loughborough were 131 all out in the 44th over.

Harborough were not wanting to hang around as they began aggressively until Nic O’Donovan induced a catch to James Smith from the bowling of another debutant in Oliver Freckingham.

Kevin Innes found the going tough as he struggled to 17 before being bowled by Mitchell Buck.

But at the other end Robert Taylor was on his way to a more than a run a ball 65 not out while his new partner at the crease, Anshuman Bhagawati hit 25 not out as Harborough reached their target in just 28.2 overs.

For the Loughborough attack Freckingham picked up 1 for 45 from 8.2 overs and Buck 1 for 16 from three.